Monday, June 21, 2010

a creative title for a creative entry

Going to school isn't exactly exciting. There is nothing appealing about trying to digest outdated information while the teacher drones on about topics he thinks are the most useful things in the world. Just a look at the students' faces is enough to extinguish any creative energy left in the classroom. Students are made to memorize identical information, follow an identical set of rules, and reach for a seemingly singular goal. They are made to think and act like one another. Like clones if you will. And this definitely does not encourage a creative approach to life.

Students are at a crucial point in their life where they are searching for their identity. They want to be inspired, to be motivated. But how could this be achieved if society only gives them a limited view of what’s out there? Ken Robinson mentions in his article The Arts and Education that classes such as Math, Science, and Reading are prioritized because they would supply economic growth. True, but I don't think any nation could run on mathematicians and scientists alone. The way I understand it, these core classes are only meant to lay a sturdy foundation for its future leaders, who in turn will still be the ones responsible for breathing life into the structure. It's like a carpenter who does all the woodwork of the house first before the actual inhabitants could turn the house into a home.

Creativity and the so-called scholarly professions should not be treated separately. They should instead be integrated into one another. As Robinson states it: “Creativity is possible in every area of human activity.” Everything we say and do are all part of a creative process. What is asked from us might be similar, but how we’ll act on it will definitely vary depending on our understanding of it.

At the end of the day, it is still up to the person to live his life creatively. After all, creativity comes from within.


Source: The Arts and Education: Changing Track by Sir Ken Robinson

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